A well known type of bedding product comprises a motorized adjustable bed in which an articulated frame supports a mattress. These motorized adjustable beds have traditionally been used in hospitals but more and more are being installed and used in residential homes. Motorized adjustable beds have conventionally had an upper body support movable between an inclined position in which it supports the patient in a sitting position and a prone position in which the patient lies down in a generally horizontal position. In addition, a leg support is movable between positions and may be adjusted to a desired degree of inclination. An actuating mechanism, commonly two or more electric motors, raises and lowers the head and leg supports of the articulated bed frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,730 discloses such an adjustable bed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,499,162 and 6,640,365 disclose adjustable beds comprising a plurality of bed plates pivotally secured together for supporting a mattress. Connecting elements or links pivotally connect a base to the bed plates. A movable member slides along the base and is activated by a piston movable from inside a cylinder secured to the base. Activation of a power source such as an electric motor causes movement of the bed plates via movement of the sliding member.
One of the heaviest components of an adjustable bed is the actuator system for effecting movement of the adjustable bed. This actuator system is typically purchased by the manufacturer as a separate component of the knock-down adjustable bed assembly and secured to the remainder of the adjustable bed by the manufacturer using fasteners such as nuts, bolts, screws, fastening pins or other forms of conventional attachment devices. This step in the assembly of the adjustable bed may be labor intensive, time consuming and therefore expensive. Often skilled laborers are required for such assembly.
It has therefore been an objective of this invention to provide an actuator system which may be attached to an adjustable bed as simply as possible and with a minimum of component assembly parts. To that end, and in accordance with this invention, the motorized actuator of this invention may be snap-fit onto portions or elements of an adjustable bed, thereby enabling the actuator to be attached to the adjustable bed without any nuts, bolts, screws or other form of conventional attachment devices.